MoH awards Prof. Kayanja, Wilson for fighting cancer

PIC: Left-right: Prof. Fredrick Kayanja, Prof. Tony Wilson, UCI executive director  Dr Jackson Orem and Dr Charles Olaro from Ministry of Health during the recognition dinner at the Kampala Sheraton Hotel on Friday. (Credit: Violet Nabatanzi)

HEALTH | RECOGNITION            
 
KAMPALA - The Ministry of health (MoH) has awarded Prof. Fredrick Kayanja and Prof. Tony Wilson for their outstanding contribution in the fight against cancer in the country.

The two professors were applauded for the establishment of the Mbarara Regional Cancer Centre during a dinner held at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel on Friday.

Kayanja, also the former vice-chancellor Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), said setting up a cancer centre out of Kampala was long overdue as many people require treatment in the villages.

He asked Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) leadership, as well as MOH to ensure that the centre is given a priority and that work does not end with his exit from the university.

The university offered part of the land to setup the centre.

The cancer centre, which is located at the Mbarara health facility, treats over 3,000 cancer patients.

Cancer is one of the three commonest causes of death globally, resulting in 8.8 m deaths annually.

About 4,500 to 6,000 new cancer cases are registered at UCI annually.

Another regional cancer centre was recently established in Arua.

Recently, health minister Dr Ruth Aceng said more centres were yet to be established in Gulu and Mbale districts, with the aim of improving accessibility to cancer care to all Ugandans.

UCI board chair and chancellor MUST Prof. Charles Olweny commended the professors for putting much effort in the fight against cancer in the country.

The director clinical services, Dr Charles Olaro, who represented the permanent secretary MOH pledged full government support to cancer fight in the country.

UCI offers specialised services in areas of cancer treatment, research and prevention.

It was recently upgraded to an East African treatment reference centre, treating patients from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and DRC.